Ziffer Will Not Seek Political Office in 2018

In a surprising development, City Commissioner Gil Ziffer has decided not to run for the Mayor of Tallahassee or to seek another city commission seat in 2018.

Ziffer released the following statement this morning:

With a great deal of thought and discussion with my family, I have decided to not seek the Tallahassee Mayor’s position, nor will I seek any other position on the City Commission.

I want to thank the numerous supporters I’ve had during my campaigns, and the many thousands of citizens who elected me in 2010 and 2014. It continues to be a tremendous honor and privilege to serve our community.

Since joining the Commission in 2009, we’ve had many successes. Infrastructure alone includes our award winning Cascades Park, several segments of Capital Circle, a redesigned and rebuilt Franklin Boulevard, Gaines Street and the hundreds of millions in private sector dollars in construction as a result of public infrastructure improvements.

Personally, I’m proud of the process we established in protecting development encroachment in Myers Park; working with all parties in finalizing a noise ordinance, and working with County Commissioner MaryAnn Lindley and the Betton Hills neighborhood in the development and installation of the privately funded Sandy Proctor bronze sculpture garden in McCord Park.

I’m confidant before I leave office we’ll finally open a Community School in our Southside in addition to finalizing the private construction of Independence Landing in SouthWood.

Our city is in good hands with the over 2,800 City of Tallahassee employees and management that go to work everyday providing the many and far-reaching services our residents have come to expect. My aide, Cathy Branch, has been working beside me since my first day. I’ve often said, of all the decisions I’ve made since joining the Commission, hiring Cathy was one of my best.

I am also honored to be serving as the current President of the Florida League of Cities, as well as serving on the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities. Defending Home Rule has never been more important. I plan on re-doubling my efforts to defeat the intrusion and limitations our State Legislature seems to try and advance at every turn as we move through the 2018 Florida Legislative Session.

Throughout my public service, my wife, Gail Stansberry-Ziffer, has been my biggest supporter. We have survived the ups and downs of public service together and for that I will be eternally grateful. Since joining the commission, we’ve also been blessed with six grandchildren. I welcome the opportunity to spend a great deal more time making memories with them.

I am confident a candidate worthy of the mayor’s position will step forward. In particular, if Senator Bill Montford chooses to run, I believe he will be the mayor Tallahassee needs and deserves at this critical time.

As for what lies ahead, you never know where a new road will lead or how it will look until you take it. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next one leads.

Maybe now Mr. Ziffer will let us know why week after week he took to public comments about the need for a community school and went out of his way to be critical of the former Superintendent but he has had deafening silence on a community school now that Rocky Hanna has been elected.

Oh, Gil. Nobody can fill Nancy Miller’s template of “You’re welcome for widening Capital Circle, but it’s time I saw my grandkids…oh yeah, and I guess we should start paying attention to the Southside now that we’re all under investigation by the Feds” with true Zifferisms like “my aide is the best thing that ever happened to me” like you can. I would have voted for you because you had me at “I talked with Andy and Scotty, so I decided to run for mayor.” The fact that you needed to talk with those two before making any kind of meaningful decision means you are the man for the job! I’m really going to miss these Zifferisms.

I swear, I can’t tell whether I’m reading an Onion or a TD article on any given day. Tallahassee…